Dental articulator accessory

ABSTRACT

Dental supports for clutches in an articulator are described which are used to facilitate the mounting of the clutches and their dependent dental instruments in an articulator. The supports comprise a base member which is removably attached to the dental cast support screw of each articulator frame member with a telescoping member that bears a clutch support plate and that can be locked to the base member at any desired extension therein. The supports are used when the adjustable fossa and incisal guides of the articulator are to be set to duplicate a paitent&#39;&#39;s border mandibular movements. In this method, a pantograph with attached clutches is positioned in the articulator in the proper anatomical relationship to the articulator control surfaces. The clutch support plates of the accessory of this invention are then extended from their base members into proximate positions to their respective clutches, a curable plastic is placed between the clutches and the support plates, and the articulator is maintained in its centric position until the plastic cements the clutches to their support plates.

[ 51 Jan. 9, 1973 United States Patent 1 Guichet [54] DENTAL ARTICULATORACCESSORY the clutches and their dependent dental instruments inInventor Niles F Guichet 320 Olympia an articulator. The supportscomprise a base member which is removably attached to the dental castsupport PlaceAnahelmcahfgzgo screw of each articulator frame member witha Dec. 10, 1970 [22] Filed: telescoping member that bears a clutchsupport plate 21 A L I and that can be locked to the base member at anyl PP N0 96 906 desired extension therein. The supports are used when theadjustable fossa and incisal guides of the articula- Int Cl [58] FieldofSearch..........................................

proper anatomical relationship to the articulator conl l ReferencesClted trol surfaces. The clutch support plates of the accessory of thisinvention are then extended from their base UNITED STATES PATENTSmembers into proximate positions to their respective clutches, a curableplastic is placed between the clutches and the support plates, and thearticulator is maintained in its centric position until the plasticements the clutches to their support plates.

Mum 6 fm PS 795 366 999 Ill //l 29 ll 22 0 5 7 300 726 980 0 4 2 233Primary Examiner Robert Peshock Att0rneyR0bert E. Strauss 13 Claims, 4Drawing Figures ABSTRACT Dental supports for clutches in an articulatorare described which are used to facilitate the mounting of AHHH I IHUHIH I l PATENTEDJAN 9 ma SHEET 1 UF 2 FIGURE F IGURE 2 INVENTOR.

T1ORNEY NILES F GUlCHET PATENTEDJAN ems 3.708 882 SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTORN IL ES F. GU\CHET l BY Wrfimsv DENTAL ARTICULATOR ACCESSORY DESCRIPTIONOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to means for mounting dentalclutches and an attached pantograph in an articulator to permitadjustment of the articulator to a pantographic record. The inventionalso relates to a method for using the mounting means.

ln dental restoration, applicances are fabricated from models formed ondental articulators which have provided varied capability in simulationof mandibular movement. Recent advances in articulator design haveachieved precision instruments which can be adjusted for most if not allmandibular movements with the aid of devices for recording of mandibularmovement such as checkbite records, face bows, hinge axis locators, etc.

Pantograph tracings of the determinate, i.e., border, mandibularmovements have been used to set the various adjustable guides of thearticulator. The pantograph tracings can be made with the pantographsuch as disclosed in my prior patent using a pair of face bows which aresupported by clutches that are attached thereto. These clutches are caston the patients teeth before any of the teeth have been cut, preparatoryto the fitting of the applicances or dental restorations.

Prior use of these tracings has required the mounting of the clutches inthe articulator using a fairly involved technique. Casts of themaxillary and mandibular teeth are prepared. A pantograph, comprisingupper and lower face bows, is supported with each face bow on the upperand lower teeth, respectively, of the patient by clutch means. One ofthe face bows bears posterior hinge axis pins which are aligned alongthe condylar hinge axis. A support rod, which is anteriorly positionedon the pantograph, is aligned to an anterior reference point on thepatient. The pantograph is subsequently transferred to the articulatorby inserting the hinge axis pins in seating recesses on the hinge axisof the articulator and resting the support rod on the work surface.Acrylic plastic protrusions are deposited on the tooth surface of theseclutches and permitted to harden. Thereafter, clutches are plastered tothe mounting rings of the articulator.

The aforementioned procedure is time consuming and provides severalopportunities for imprecise alignment of the clutches and the dentalappliances such as face bows that are attached thereto in thearticulator.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simplified, butprecise method and means for mounting dental clutches in an articulator.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such method and meansthat will reduce the steps necessary to mount clutches in anarticulator.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide such method andmeans which permit simultaneous mounting of the maxillary and mandibularclutches in an articulator.

Other and related objects will be apparent from the followingdescription of the invention.

The preceding objects are achieved by the apparatus of this inventionwhich comprises detachable clutch support means for a dentalarticulator. The support means; one of which is provided for eacharticulator frame member; have a base member which can be removablyattached to the articulator frame member,

and a clutch support plate carried by a telescoping member which isslidably supported by the base member with means to lock the supportplate and telescoping member at any vertical extension in the basemember.

The method of this invention can employ a conventional pantograph withits recording means to obtain the correct, i.e., anatomical or slidingcondyle supports 33. Opposite ends of crossbar 20 are slotted at 24; seeFIG. 2. The condyle supports are bored and threaded to receive thethreaded end of a shaft which extends through slot 24 and keyway 18. Ahand wheel 30 is splinded onto the shaft so that rotation of the wheelwill lock the sliding condyle support in the keyway. The condyles arecarried by the upper end of the shafts 25 at opposite sides of theinstrument. These condyles provide the rear bearing surfaces for theupper frame 32 of the articulator. The upper frame rests on the condylesto provide a hinged connection between the upper and the lower frames attheir posterior ends.

The upper frame 32 is an elongated plate with its anterior end supportedby the incisal pin 34. Projecting from each side of the posterior end offrame 32 are the fossa guide assemblies which rest on their respectivecondyles.

Centrally positioned on each of the upper and lower frames are dentalcast mounting screws 11 and 31 which removably secure dental cast mountsof conventional construction to permit the attachment of dental casts tothe frames.

The devices of this invention are shown as they are secured to thearticulator which is described in detail in my prior U.S. Pat. No.3,590,467, frame members 10 and 32 using screws 11 and 31 to attach theupper and lower base members of the devices. The base members 13 and 33are shown as generally cylindrical posts, however, other shapes can beused as desired. The bases are bored and tapped at 15 and 37 to receivescrews 11 and 31.

The base members are bored to support extendible members which areformed of shafts l7 and 39 which telescope into these base members andwhich carry at their opposite ends the clutch support plates 19 and 41.

The anterior of the frame 32 terminates with a longitudinal block 35that is locked to the frame 32 by thumbscrew 39. The anterior face ofblock 35 is convex as shown in FIG. 1 and has a slot 91 which engages amating arcuate key of block 90. The incisal pin 34 is press fitted intoa bore in block 90. This block and the anterior end of block 35 mate inan arcuate fit so that the angular relationship between the pin andframe 32 can be varied and observed on the scale of block 90. Screwinterlocks block to block 35 at any angular position along groove 91.

The lower end of pin 34 carries guide 72 which has a dovetail groove 73that fits a matching dovetail on shoe 74. Shoe 74 is engaged in dovetailguide 72 in a sliding fit that is locked by screw 76 in the guide. Theshoe in the centric position lies on pin support 78 which is carried bythe rear of the incisal table. Support 78 is removably secured to thelower frame by thumb screw 82. The anterior end of frame 10 is slottedand block 78 has a mating key along its lower edge that fits into theslotted frame 10 and screw 82 is then turned to lock block 78 to frame10. Block 78 will have a fixed vertical relationship to frame regardlessof any adjustments that may be made in the incisal table assembly ashereinafter described. Block 78, therefore, is a removable rest for theincisal pin that has a fixed vertical position in the articulator.

lncisal table housing 88 is pivotable on pins 86 and carries incisalguide wings 92 which are bored at 95 to receive screws 96. Wings 92 arepivotable along longitudinal axes and their outside surfaces are arcuateand mate with an arcuate cut in the sides of housing 88, with the radiusof curvature of these surfaces being about a centerline passing throughthe pivot axes. Screws 96 lock the wings in any angular position abouttheir axes, and their angle of inclination is registered by the scaleson the face of housing 88.

The fossa guide assemblies are mounted on main angle blocks or bracketmembers such as 50 which are pivotably secured by screws 52 to wingbrackets such as 51. Wing bracket 51 is pivotably mounted on thetelescoping lateral arm 55 carried by upper frame 32. Wing 51 pivots onthe hinge axis centerline passing through condyles 26 and a screw suchas 56 on the centerline projects through flange 57 and pivotably secureswing 51 to arm 55.

The fossa guide assemblies are provided with multiple adjustablesurfaces to permit duplication of the condyle guide surfaces found inthe human fossa. These fossa guide assemblies include a superior guidemember 36, a rear wall or posterior guide member 38. and a lateral guidemember 40. The lateral guide member functions to guide the framesthrough movements having a lateral directional component. All of thesefossa guide members pivot about a common center of rotation at thecenter of condyle 26. The angular setting of posterior guide member 38is locked by screw 44; that of superior guide member 36 is locked byscrews 42 and 52; see FIG. 2; and that of medial wall guide member 40 byscrew 46. The angular settings of the guide surfaces of the members areregistered on scales on the assemblies.

FIG. 3 shows the lower member in an exploded view and plate 19 is shownas a generally circular plate having a plurality of apertures whichpermit extrusion of the plastic through the plate to increase itsretention by the plastic. The vertical position of the extendible memberin the base member can be locked by set screw 21 which is inserted intoa tapped bore in the base member along its longitudinal bore 23. Ifdesired, a keyway can be provided on either shaft 17 or bore 23 with amating key on the other member to index the plate 19 in bore 23 againstrotation.

FIG. 4 shows a precision pantograph such as described in my U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,431,649 and 3,490,146. This pantograph comprises upper and lowerface bows which are U-shaped with sidearms which extend posteriorly fromanterior crossbars. The lower face bow has crossbar 100 that supportsidearms 101 with split block clamps 102 which have screw 103 to lockthe arms 101 and crossbar 100 in their split bores of the block clamp. Amandibular dental clutch 104 formed from a plastic casting about supportfork 105 is centrally indexed and removably locked to the crossbar inthe manner described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,333. The clutch isengaged by the mandibular teeth of the patient, thereby supporting thelower face bow on the patient, as shown. Centrally positioned on theclutch is fulcrum pin 99 which bears against a guide surface in theupper clutch in the manner described in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,508,333 and3,590,467. The posterior ends of the sidearms 101 support a block clampl06in which is inserted pin 107 which is aligned opposite the mandiblehinge axis. A recording table formed of an upright plate 115 and atransverse plate 116 is also attached to the sidearms 101.

The upper face bow is similarly formed with crossbar 108, clamp blocks109 and sidearms 110, and is supported on the maxillary teeth by clutch111 and fork 112 with the clutch 111 being centrally indexed andremovably secured to the upper crossbar 108. The posterior ends ofsidearms support an assembly of a horizontal plane recording stylus 113and a saggital plane recording stylus 114 which are supported onpneumatically actuated pistons within cylinders of the assembly topermit remote actuation and engagement with tracing paper carried onplates 115 and 116 in the manner described in my U.S. Pat. Nos.3,508,333 and 3,590,467.

The lower crossbar also supports a clamp 117 which slidably engages rod126 and two tables 1l8, one on each side of the crossbar. Positionedabove each table 118 is an anterior tracing assembly 119 with a stylus(not shown) which can trace mandibular movements on recording paperpositioned on the table. There is also a clamp with screw 120 which canlock pin 121 at any vertical setting. These pins 121, one at each side,together with fulcrum pin 99 form a tripod. When the jaw is in centricrelation, the positions of the pins 121 on tables 118 are recorded by awax impression on the point of each pin on its respective table. Thevertical positions of the pins are recorded by sliding blocks 122 thatrest on the tops of the cylindrical pin holders of 119 and by lockingscrews 123 with the blocks resting on the cylinders. The verticalposition of rod 126 is set by placing a generally U-shaped plate 124with its bight resting on the rod and each of its legs resting on hingeaxis centering pins 107. The plate is then aligned into a generallyhorizontal plane with its anterior end opposite a dot 125 which haspreviously been placed on the patients face.

The pantograph is transferred to the articulator as shown in FIG. 1. Theends of pins 107 are engaged in mounting recesses on the hinge axis ofthe articulator and the rod 126 is rested on the table or work surface.

The check bite pins 121 are placed in clamps 119 and secured by screws123, and the upper face bow is rested on the resulting tripod formed byfulcrum pin 99 and pins 121 which are seated in their impressions in thewax on tables 118.

Screws 21 in each of base members 13 and 33 are loosened and theextendible members bearing the clutch support plates 19 and 41 areextended into proximity with the clutches. The instrument is thenopened, some cold curing plastic such as an acrylic impression plasticor plaster is placed on the lower plate 19 and the upper surface of themaxillary clutch 111, and the instrument is then closed into theposition shown. This results in embedding of the plates 41 and 19 in theplastic 130 and 131 which hardens to cement the clutches to the plates.In this manner, a simple and direct orientation of the pantograph in thearticulator is achieved.

The invention has been described with regard to the method of mountingof a pantograph in a precision articulator. It is not intended by thisillustration that the invention be unduly limited to only this method.Instead, it is intended that the apparatus of this invention be usefulfor other purposes. An illustration of such other application of theapparatus is the use of the dental support of the lower frame member ofthe articulator to support the weight of the upper cast when it isplastered into the articulator by placing plaster between the cast andthe mounting ring of the upper frame member.

The invention has been described by reference to the presently preferredmode of practice thereof. It is not intended by this illustration thatthe invention be limited only to the illustrated means and method, butrather it is intended that the invention be defined by the method stepsand their obvious equivalents, and by the means and their obviousequivalents set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a dental articulator comprising a first frame member supporting acondyle at each of the opposite sides of its posterior end and a secondframe member supporting, at each opposite side of its posterior end, afossa guide assembly bearing control surfaces in engagement with itsrespective condyle of said first frame member and with incisal pin andincisal pin guide means bearing control surfaces supported by saidmembers at their anterior ends wherein said fossa guide assemblies andincisal pin guide means provide adjustable guide surfaces to permitrelative movement of said members in simulation of mandibular movements,the improved means for rapidly securing dental clutches to said framemembers in spacial positions relative to said guide surfaces whichduplicate their anatomical relationship to the maxillary condylar guidesurfaces which comprises: a base member centrally positioned on at leastone of said frame members and removably secured thereto by attachmentmeans permitting its removal, a clutch support member secured to saidbase member with means permitting adjustable variation in the verticalspacing of the clutch support member from said base member intoproximity to the mid line between said frame members and to the positionoccupied by the clutch associated with said frame member when saidclutch is positioned in said articulator in said anatomical relationshipto said guide control surfaces.

2. The articulator of claim 1 wherein said clutch support membercomprises a plate supported by a post that is slidably mounted in a borein said base member with set screw means to lock said post at anyextension in said bore.

3. The articulator of claim I wherein said base members are secured tosaid articulator frames by centrally positioned screw means carried bysaid frame members.

4. The articulator of claim 1 wherein said base membersand clutchsupport members are secured to each of said first and second framemembers.

5. The method for the mounting ofa pantograph in a dental articulatorhaving first and second frame members hinged together at their posteriorends with adjustable hinge joint means that permit simulation of theanatomical movements of the mandible which comprises: temporarilysecuring to each of said members a clutch support member comprising abase member and a vertically extendible clutch support plate,positioning a pantograph comprising a pair of dental face bows, each bowthereof having dependently supported thereon a dental clutch, at apredetermined spacial relationship to the maxillary fossa guidesurfaces, extending each of said clutch support plates into a proximateposition to its respective dental clutch, locking said plates in suchposition, and interlocking said clutches to said plates.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said clutches are interlocked to saidplates by placing a cement between said clutches and said plates.

7. The improved means of claim 1 wherein one of said base and clutchsupport members bears a keyway and the other of said members bears amating key to prevent rotation of said clutch support member.

8. The combination of a dental articulator comprising a first framemember supporting a condyle at each of the opposite sides of itsposterior end and a second frame member supporting, at each oppositeside of its posterior end, a fossa guide assembly in engagement with itsrespective condyle of said first frame member and with incisal pin andincisal pin guide means supported by said members at their anterior endswherein said fossa guide assemblies and incisal pin guide means provideadjustable guide surfaces to permit relative movement of said members insimulation of mandibular movements, 21 base member centrally positionedon at least one of said frame members and secured thereto by meanspermitting its removal, a clutch support member secured to said basemember with means permitting adjustable variation in the verticalspacing of the clutch support member in said base member and a dentalclutch secured directly to said clutch support member.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said clutch is cemented to saidclutch support member.

10. The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said frame members bearsa base member with its respective clutch support member and wherein theupper and lower dental clutches of a set of dental clutches are securedto said clutch support members.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said clutch support member has ashaft that is telescopingly mounted to said base member.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said shaft bears, on its inboardend, a plate for attachment to a dental clutch.

13. The combination of claim 8 wherein one of said clutch support andbase members bears a keyway and the other of said members bears a matingkey to prevent rotation of said clutch support member.

1. In a dental articulator comprising a first frame member supporting acondyle at each of the Opposite sides of its posterior end and a secondframe member supporting, at each opposite side of its posterior end, afossa guide assembly bearing control surfaces in engagement with itsrespective condyle of said first frame member and with incisal pin andincisal pin guide means bearing control surfaces supported by saidmembers at their anterior ends wherein said fossa guide assemblies andincisal pin guide means provide adjustable guide surfaces to permitrelative movement of said members in simulation of mandibular movements,the improved means for rapidly securing dental clutches to said framemembers in spacial positions relative to said guide surfaces whichduplicate their anatomical relationship to the maxillary condylar guidesurfaces which comprises: a base member centrally positioned on at leastone of said frame members and removably secured thereto by attachmentmeans permitting its removal, a clutch support member secured to saidbase member with means permitting adjustable variation in the verticalspacing of the clutch support member from said base member intoproximity to the mid line between said frame members and to the positionoccupied by the clutch associated with said frame member when saidclutch is positioned in said articulator in said anatomical relationshipto said guide control surfaces.
 2. The articulator of claim 1 whereinsaid clutch support member comprises a plate supported by a post that isslidably mounted in a bore in said base member with set screw means tolock said post at any extension in said bore.
 3. The articulator ofclaim 1 wherein said base members are secured to said articulator framesby centrally positioned screw means carried by said frame members. 4.The articulator of claim 1 wherein said base members and clutch supportmembers are secured to each of said first and second frame members. 5.The method for the mounting of a pantograph in a dental articulatorhaving first and second frame members hinged together at their posteriorends with adjustable hinge joint means that permit simulation of theanatomical movements of the mandible which comprises: temporarilysecuring to each of said members a clutch support member comprising abase member and a vertically extendible clutch support plate,positioning a pantograph comprising a pair of dental face bows, each bowthereof having dependently supported thereon a dental clutch, at apredetermined spacial relationship to the maxillary fossa guidesurfaces, extending each of said clutch support plates into a proximateposition to its respective dental clutch, locking said plates in suchposition, and interlocking said clutches to said plates.
 6. The methodof claim 5 wherein said clutches are interlocked to said plates byplacing a cement between said clutches and said plates.
 7. The improvedmeans of claim 1 wherein one of said base and clutch support membersbears a keyway and the other of said members bears a mating key toprevent rotation of said clutch support member.
 8. The combination of adental articulator comprising a first frame member supporting a condyleat each of the opposite sides of its posterior end and a second framemember supporting, at each opposite side of its posterior end, a fossaguide assembly in engagement with its respective condyle of said firstframe member and with incisal pin and incisal pin guide means supportedby said members at their anterior ends wherein said fossa guideassemblies and incisal pin guide means provide adjustable guide surfacesto permit relative movement of said members in simulation of mandibularmovements, a base member centrally positioned on at least one of saidframe members and secured thereto by means permitting its removal, aclutch support member secured to said base member with means permittingadjustable variation in the vertical spacing of the clutch supportmember in said base member and a dental clutch secured directly to saidclutch support member.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said clutchis cemented to said clutch support member.
 10. The combination of claim8 wherein each of said frame members bears a base member with itsrespective clutch support member and wherein the upper and lower dentalclutches of a set of dental clutches are secured to said clutch supportmembers.
 11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said clutch supportmember has a shaft that is telescopingly mounted to said base member.12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said shaft bears, on its inboardend, a plate for attachment to a dental clutch.
 13. The combination ofclaim 8 wherein one of said clutch support and base members bears akeyway and the other of said members bears a mating key to preventrotation of said clutch support member.